The start of the 2026 school year has reshuffled the relationship between children and digital technology in France. With a ban on mobile phones extended to high schools, constitutional censorship on social media, and a regulatory shift towards addictive features, the legal framework is changing rapidly. We take stock of the measures that are concretely altering the daily lives of families and educational institutions.
Ban on mobile phones in high schools: technical modalities and gray areas
The law of August 24, 2026, extends the ban on the use of mobile phones and other communication devices during school hours to high schools. The text is not limited to smartphones: personal tablets, smartwatches, and any device enabling communication fall within its scope.
Three categories of exceptions remain: students with disabilities, preparatory classes, and BTS programs. For these groups, usage is still permitted under conditions defined by each institution’s internal regulations.
The point of friction lies in the practical modalities left to the institutions. The legislator has not imposed a single device. Individual lockers, lockable pouches like Yondr, and monitored deposits at the entrance: each high school chooses its solution. We are already observing significant disparities between urban institutions with infrastructure and rural high schools where the equipment budget remains constrained.
To follow the evolution of these devices and their concrete implementation, the news on Enfant 1 regularly covers feedback from families and teachers.
Constitutional censorship and new project on social media for minors
The Constitutional Council has censored the general ban on social media for those under 15, deeming it disproportionate in light of freedom of expression. However, the decision acknowledges the constitutional requirement of protecting the best interests of the child, paving the way for more targeted texts.
The government reacted quickly. On September 14, 2026, a new version of the project was submitted to the European Commission. The change in approach is clear: it is no longer about banning access to entire platforms but about targeting features deemed addictive or dangerous.
Features targeted by the new text
- Endless scrolling and automatic video playback, two retention mechanisms designed to increase the time spent on the app
- Nocturnal notifications, contact with strangers, and algorithmic profiling of minors
- Appearance filters altering the face or body, as well as certain virtual currencies integrated into the platforms
This regulatory pivot aligns with the logic of the EU Kids Act proposed by the European Commission on September 17, 2026, which also aims to regulate features rather than platforms as a whole. France thus positions itself as a proposing force at the European level on this issue.
Regulation by feature: what this changes for publishers and families
Regulating features rather than blocking access to platforms represents a technical paradigm shift. Publishers will need to identify minor users and selectively disable certain mechanisms without degrading the overall service experience.
For families, the impact is at another level. A total platform ban could be circumvented by a VPN or a declared adult account. The removal of specific features on the server side is much harder to evade, as it does not depend on the user’s device.
We recommend that parents do not wait for the text to be implemented to audit the parental control settings already available. Most mobile operating systems offer restrictions on notifications, screen time, and in-app purchases, three levers that directly overlap with the features targeted by the bill.
Artificial intelligence and child protection: a third area of focus
Beyond social media, the risks associated with generative systems to which children are exposed open a new regulatory front. Text and image generation tools raise questions about minors’ exposure to unfiltered synthetic content.
Algorithmic profiling powered by AI amplifies the retention mechanisms already targeted by the social media bill. The convergence between the French project submitted to Brussels and the EU Kids Act from the Commission suggests a harmonized framework in the medium term.
Points of vigilance for the coming months
- The technical capacity of platforms to implement a reliable age verification without excessive personal data collection
- The articulation between national regulation and the future European regulation, to avoid a stacking of contradictory norms
The regulatory framework surrounding digital technology and childhood is now evolving on multiple simultaneous fronts. The law on mobile phones in high schools is already in effect, the project on addictive features is following its European path, and the AI initiative opens a third dimension. For families as well as for education professionals, regulatory monitoring becomes an operational necessity, not a luxury.
